


Tomato, Tomahto

by countrygirlsfun



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Bullying, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Movie Night, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles, Team Cuddles, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-23 21:05:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7479969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/countrygirlsfun/pseuds/countrygirlsfun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes Derek an embarrassingly long time to realize what’s going on. </p><p>In fact, he almost realizes what’s happening with Will too late, puts the pieces together when they’re already in the middle of a situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tomato, Tomahto

*

It takes Derek an embarrassingly long time to realize what’s going on. In fact, he almost realizes what’s happening with Will too late, puts the pieces together when they’re already in the middle of a situation. He will forever be annoyed by the people who think he’s an English major because he’s not smart enough for science or law like his moms. He is not dumb, maybe he is a little slow at reading people, truly reading people beyond their superficial appearance. But isn’t everybody a little slow at that?

It was easy to look at William Poindexter and come to some basic conclusions, from that very first tour, before they were even officially linemates. Of course, actually practicing and playing with the guy just confirmed some of Derek’s first intuitions.

Uptight, conservative, and privileged.

Well, he was maybe wrong about the last one. But the other two have pretty much been confirmed in his mind as 100% characteristics of Will Poindexter over the last few months.

He doesn’t let it bother him, he is also 100% chill with letting Dex be whoever he wants to be, even if they do get into a few fights. It’s not like he’s actually invested or anything, it’s not like Derek cares about the guy.

Except, well.

He kinda does. Care, that is. After Bitty sits him down for a Conversation™ he eases back on picking at the guy until they’re full blown yelling in each other’s faces on the ice. It makes for a different dynamic between them when he stops instigating the arguments and just focuses more on the hockey. They get better on the ice and they get thrown into games together, moving the puck and getting goals almost as smooth as the mighty dynamic duo that is Ransom and Holster.

It all comes crashing down around them when they’re over a month into regular season games, all the little hints he’d ignored, all the times he’d denied the clear signs in front of him. It’s a rough game, petty checks, borderline illegal checks at times and Dex took the brunt of them whenever the two of them were on the ice.

They lose.

Final score 2-1 and Will storms off the ice, angry for letting the other team’s forward slip through their defense and get that final goal, preventing a tie and overtime. Derek walks into the locker room right on his heels, if he wasn’t that close he would have missed the way Will was shaking. As they undress Derek thinks it’s just adrenaline and anger wearing off from the game. But when he looks over and Will’s hands are trembling as he puts his skates in his bag, Derek reaches out a hand to lay it on his shoulder.

But Will flinches, hard and violently away from the hand in his peripheral vision and Derek’s heart stops, all the pieces clicking into place in that one horrible moment.

“Hey,” he says softly, stepping towards Will where he’s shrunk into himself, pressed against the wall behind him, his eyes wild and yet calculating, looking for an exit. Derek should back off but he presses closer instead, hands still and low at his sides. “Will, look at me,” he says, still quiet, hoping they haven’t drawn the attention of the rest of the team.

Will is almost hyperventilating, his chest heaving quick and sharp. Derek ducks down to catch his eye and then maintains eye contact as he gets even closer. He reaches out slowly and catches Will’s sweat slick biceps in his hands.

“I will never, _ever_ hit you, Will,” he says lowly but it only riles Will up that much more instead of calming him down. Derek squeezes his hands around Will’s arms gently but it’s too much for his teammate because he roughly shrugs out of Derek’s hold and bolts.

Now the team is watching but Derek doesn’t care, he’s not letting Will run out like this, not away from his friends, his team who are all there to help. To have his back. He lurches after him, catching his wrist before he even makes it halfway across the locker room space and tugs Will back. He lowers his shoulder and smoothly steps into Will’s space, bending him over his shoulder, turning as if to carry him back to his locker.

“Let me go,” Will yells, his hands scrambling for purchase on Derek’s back as he tries to get free. Derek doesn’t notice the team rushing towards the two of them, to separate them. But then suddenly there’s a strong arm around his waist pulling him away as Holster and Ransom grab Dex out of his arms.

“No!” they both cry in unison, but for very different reasons.

The locker room is chaos now, Ransom and Holster trying and failing to maintain their hold on Dex as he just collapses to the floor, curling into a ball as the team surrounds him.

“No, no, no, no,” he keeps crying with various inflection as half the team starts shouting at Derek and the other half shouting to shut the hell up.

“Let me go,” he says, pushing at the arms wrapped solidly around his waist and chest. He turns his face briefly, not wanting to let Will out of his sight for even a moment but he sees it’s Jack holding him back and he just slumps. “Please,” he practically begs, “I’m trying to help him.”

He doesn’t think the rest of them get it. Not yet at least. But they’re about to.

Will is still curled into a ball, his face hidden in his hands as he shakes and keeps repeating, “This wasn’t supposed to happen. It was supposed to go away.”

Bitty has forced his way in between the wall of Ransom and Holster and is kneeling down by Will’s head, tentatively reaching his hand out to pet at his hair. Chowder is kneeling at Will’s feet, looking lost and unsure what he can do to help. Jack finally loosens his hold and Derek just folds down onto his hands and knees and crawls over the dirty locker room floor to Will. He doesn’t pause again, he just gets down on the floor completely and wraps his arms around his teammate’s shaking shoulders.

“Bro, it’s okay, we’re not gonna hurt you. No one here is going to hurt you,” he says clearly, and loud enough for the guys immediately surrounding them to hear too. He can hear the way Bitty’s breath catches in his throat.

Will breaks down, sobbing quietly into Derek’s chest, his hands no longer pushing him away but keeping him close, keeping himself hidden. He tucks his head down to press his cheek against Will’s temple so he doesn’t see the way the Chowder, Ransom, Holster, Shitty and Jack all get the rest of the way out of their pads and sit on the floor around them instead of looming over them.

“It was supposed to go away,” Will whispers, sounding sad and ashamed. Derek could write pages on the feeling in his chest as his heart seems to break apart at the admission. “It was supposed to be different here.”

“It is different here,” Derek says gently, “You’ve got us, we’re all here.”

“We’re your team,” Bitty says firmly, “We all have your back.”  

“Bits is right,” Shitty adds harshly, “I’m still not sure what exactly is happening right now but don’t doubt that we’ll back you up. No matter what it is. That’s what hockey bros do.”

Will nods and Derek finds himself continuing to rub a hand soothingly up and down his back. The whole room is quiet now, but it’s not uncomfortable. Eventually, Will takes a deep breath and pulls back, sniffing as he sits up and wipes at his face. He was already flushed from the game and the tears but now Derek supposes he’s blushing on top of it all.

“Sorry for the shit show,” he says finally, given everyone was staring at him, waiting for him to say something.

“Don’t worry about it,” Jack says, beating everyone else to the punch, “You should have seen Ransom freshman year.”

“Cried in my locker after every game first semester,” Ransom admits and Holster puts his arm around his shoulders, but Ransom shrugs lightly, “Homesickness takes many forms.”

Dex huffs a little and Derek sits up off the floor, keeping close.

“Everybody shower,” Jack declares, “Team Movie Night tonight, captain’s orders.”

So everybody gets up, Chowder sending the two of them a still worried glance as he goes. Bitty crosses over to talk quickly and quietly to Jack, probably discussing the food required for everyone coming over. Will takes another few deep breaths before he gets up and Derek follows him back over to their lockers, probably hovering. Definitely hovering given the way Dex shoots him a look.

“I’m not gonna break, Nurse,” he says quietly and Derek nods, physically taking a step back and going back to undressing from the game. He’s sitting in his locker bay, watching Dex continue to shuffle his stuff around in his bags to get it all organized just the way he likes.

“Just because I was on the hockey team didn’t make the fact that I was the poor kid who spent his free time on his computer just magically disappear,” he says quietly, shooting Derek a look before continuing to fiddle with his bags. “That right winger out there, he went to my high school,” Will admits and Derek suddenly understands why this game could have affected his fellow d-man so much. “He, uh, he was able shit talk better than some random dude who doesn’t, you know, know me, on a personal level.”

Wait. Derek processes that for a long moment.

“You mean…” he trails off, hoping Will can fill in the blanks there, because Derek’s mind is kind of racing with the possibilities.

“He was just, he was a friend before the team found out, well. Before they found out I,” Will stops, his voice tight and Derek wants to reach out again. Wants to take back all the awful things he’s yelled at Dex over the last couple months, suddenly feeling as though he’s contributed to being a new abuser to an abuse victim.

“You don’t have to,” Derek starts to say but Will shakes his head and puts his hand on Derek’s shoulder.

“No,” he says, voice still strangled sounding,”no, it’s different here, right? I can say the words out loud.” Will takes a breath, closing his eyes for the briefest moment before he opens them to look Derek in the eye. “He was part of the main group of guys who, um, harassed me when the team found out I’m bisexual.”

Will takes his hand back and zips up his bag; he seems steadier now, calmer. He hasn’t showered and neither has Derek but when Will suggests they walk back to the dorm together, Derek doesn’t feel like he can turn him down.

The cool air feels heavenly after the workout of the game and part of him enjoys the silence of the walk. It’s more comfortable than any other time he’s been alone with Dex since they’ve met. He kind of feels like he owes Will something about himself now, tit for tat as it were. That since Derek forced Will’s hand in sharing about his past and himself, he should even up the score. They’re halfway to the dorm when he clears his throat, earning himself an expectant glance from Will.   

“My moms genuinely sent me to Andover for the education, where the majority of the student population were sent there by parents who didn’t have the time to care. But, uh, it didn’t change the fact that once I was there I didn’t really see or hear from either of them on a regular basis while I was there and well,” he trails off quietly and Will surprises him when he reaches out to grab his hand, squeezing it briefly before he lets go again.

“Nurse, you don’t have to do this. You don’t like, owe me any emotionally scarring information, dude,” he says easily, for once sending Derek a small smile.

“Maybe not, but like, maybe it’ll help me to tell you, just you,” he admits. “The only reason I literally care about nothing, or well, profess to, is because it was the only way I made it out of that place with my sanity intact. If I let it show how much they affected me it would have only encouraged them to do it more, you know?”

“Yeah,” Will says on a sigh, “Mom always said bullies come in all shapes and sizes. As much as we tried to fight it, it didn’t change the fact that my family lived up to a lot of Irish stereotypes. Having a, uh, fight response went hand in hand with that.”

Yeah, Derek thinks, and doesn’t that just tie up their differences in a neat little bow. Apparently his evaluation of William Poindexter was wrong on all counts. Apparently where he’d responded to bullies with indifference, Dex had responded with his fists. Apparently, despite reacting differently, they may have more similarities  than either of them are probably willing to get into tonight.

“I’m suddenly glad our fights never came to blows,” Derek says after a moment as they walk up the steps into their dorm building and Dex snorts a laugh.

“You’ve never been in a fight before?” Dex asks as he opens the door and waits for Derek to walk through.

“Nah,” Derek responds easily and Dex shakes his head.

“Not even on the ice?” he asks, almost incredulously and Derek shrugs again.

“It never got to that point,” he admits, “Andover bullies tended to the petty and psychological variety of attacks.”

Dex studies him for a long moment, pausing on the stairs as they walk up to their shared floor.

“That explains, just, so much about you,” he says, teasingly and Derek internally breathes a sigh of relief even as he gently shoves Will to get him moving towards the showers.

*

Derek is still getting dressed when Will walks into his dorm room, showered and in fresh clothes, his hair still damp and curling down around his ears.

“Hey,” Derek says in greeting over his shoulder before he goes back to rummaging through his drawer for the shirt he’s looking for.

“Hey,” Will responds quietly as he walks towards Derek’s twin bed and flops down on it.

That’s new, is all that comes to mind when he looks over and sees Dex somewhat comfortably sprawled across the mattress. Given how much of their energy has been spent antagonizing each other they haven’t really had this, this quiet peace between them, before. Derek huffs when he can’t find what he wants in his drawer and straightens, hands on his hips as he thinks of where the shirt could be.

“It’s in your closet,” Will says, and Derek whips around a little to look at him curiously. “You ranted about how you were going to shift this one shirt from your dresser to your closet so you’d always know where to find it, despite the fact that it would mess up your organization.”

Huh, he didn’t think anyone was listening that day. Sure enough, when he opens his closet there is the shirt he was looking for. He shrugs and pulls if off the hanger, turning back around to look at Will as he puts it on.

“You ready?” he asks as he walks towards the bed and Will heaves a sigh.

“No,” he answers succinctly, before he sighs again. “I both don’t want to go to the Haus full of people, nor am I ready to be alone either,” he admits, running a hand down his face. “Tell me how much sense that makes.”

“Dude, I get it. But Jack said movie night was captain’s orders so, we go for a movie, fulfill our duty and then we can bounce,” Derek offers genuinely, he’s tired and even though it’s a Friday night he kind of just wants to sleep.

“Fine,” Will agrees weakly and starts pushing himself up off the bed. Derek makes sure he has his phone and the keys to his dorm before they walk out, the door locking behind them.  The walk to the Haus is kind of chilly but it passes in a rare companionable silence. They walk up the steps together in unison before Derek steps forward to walk through the front door first.

Opening the door into the Haus is sometimes heavenly, with the warmth hitting a person’s face and that fresh-baked pie smell wafting around from the kitchen. Sometimes it’s like walking into a really rank gym for the level of BO floating around but this evening is more like the first scenario with something distinctly cinnamon being created in the kitchen, making the whole house smell like a fresh baked cookie.

But Derek stops when he feels a gentle tug on his shirt sleeve. He turns back, allowing Dex to stop him before they get all the way in the Haus, hovering by the front door. Dex doesn’t let go of where he’s holding Derek’s shirt sleeve, just stares at their hands until Derek steps back into his space.

“Do you get it now?” he asks quietly, looking up at Derek, “Why I pushed you away, why, why I,” he huffs a sad laugh, “I fight everything? This is my first time away from home and I am the first person in my family to go to college. I still don't know this team very well yet. And, after high school I just- trust doesn't come easy for me, alright?”

Derek steps even closer, hesitantly putting a hand on Will’s arm to keep him in place.

“Dude, I get that,” he starts, “but you've met these people. Have you heard Shitty talk? Ever? Ransom and Holster cuddle every other night up in the attic; they're literally just six foot plus puppies.”

“You know, we could argue-” Holster starts from his spot in the living room doorway, clearly eavesdropping.

“But it’d be useless. Our cuddle sessions are totally worth the chirping,” Ransom finishes and Derek rolls his eyes.

“Also, I’d say you could take Bitty in a fight should it come to that but something tells me he fights dirty,” Derek adds and Dex smirks over Derek’s shoulder at where Bitty is standing in the kitchen doorway.

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Bitty says innocently and when Derek turns to look at him he’s picking at his nails with a paring knife. But when he turns back to Will there’s finally a smile on his face, albeit a small one.

“Look, I get that trust is something to be earned but you gotta know the team has your back. We're not going to be the ones hurting you here okay?” he finishes and Will nods, letting go of his hold on Derek’s shirt.  

“For the record,” Shitty pipes up when Derek turns around, standing shoulder to shoulder with Will in the living room proper now, “I had a similar discussion of Samwell Men's Hockey Bro Bylaws when Bitty came out to me and when Nursey came up for the tour last spring. Knowing the kind of crap he dealt with at Andover I felt it my duty to tell him how truly ‘swawesome it is here with our little family.”

It’s far from one of Shitty’s epic rants but it settles the tension in the room nicely.

“And with that, we're watching Lilo and Stitch. Found families for the win,” Jack says in that awkward yet incredibly endearing manner he has.

The tension in Will’s shoulders is all but gone as he walks over to the couch and allows himself to be gently hustled into the middle seat. Derek waffles for a moment, half wanting to try shoving Ransom to the floor for a spot next to his d-man before he abandons the idea and goes to the kitchen to help Bitty get the food he’s undoubtedly whipped up.

By the time Derek is being sent back out into the living room, arms laden with snacks and baked goods the seating arrangements seem pretty well solidified. Dex is in the middle of the couch, Holster on one side, Ransom on the other and Shitty sprawled out with his legs over Ransom and Will’s laps. Chris is sitting on a floor pillow in front of Holster, allowing the upperclassman to play with his hair, leaning into it like a cat being petted.

Jack is in the chair, holding the remote and looking very pleased with himself as he takes in the scene on the couch. Nursey grabs another floor pillow and drops it in front of Dex, then he drops down onto it, pressing his back against the couch with Will’s knees on either side of his shoulders. Bitty starts bustling around, handing out food and plates and everybody lets him just dote for a while before Jack stops him and turns on the movie.

Halfway through the movie Derek notices someone playing with his hair. He normally doesn’t really appreciate when people mess with his fro, doesn’t really care for people all up in his space unless he’s kissing them. But given the only two people it could be are Ransom and Dex he doesn’t say anything. If it’s Ransom he’s probably doing it to mirror what Holster is doing, like usual. And if it’s Dex, well, he’d pretty much let Dex do whatever he needs to stay calm and happy right now.

And isn’t that like a kick to the ribs. Realizing he would do anything to keep his teammate happy is a wholly new experience for him. He doesn’t say anything, doesn’t turn around and make a declaration of feelings right there in front of everyone. He just leans into the fingers still getting tangled in his hair and settles in to finish the movie.

He is nearly nodding off completely against Will’s knee when the credits roll and everyone is yawning and stretching.

“Early night?” Jack asks, giving those who don’t live in the Haus yet a chance to escape, like the amazing captain that he is.

Derek nods and feels Will push at his shoulders gently until he stands.

“Yeah, I need sleep,” Dex admits as he stands as well and Derek watches Jack just nod in approval and Bitty reach out his hands only to pull them back to himself. Will huffs a small laugh and goes over to Bitty, pulling him into a hug, squeezing tighter at whatever Bitty whispered to him. Derek watches Will nod when he pulls back, a small smile still tugging on the edges of his mouth.

“I’m gonna go too,” Derek pipes up but Ransom, Holster and Shitty are all practically asleep where they’ve tangled together so Jack is really the only one listening. As Dex walks towards the door, Jack stands and stops Derek from leaving.

“Watch out for him, eh Nursey?” he says softly and Derek just nods in agreement.

“Of course,” he replies, turning to follow Dex out of the Haus after Jack pats his shoulder.

Walking back together is another silent walk across campus only this time it’s colder outside. Will has his hands shoved into his pockets, his shoulders up to his ears as he walks tensely back to the dorm, trying to keep warm. They’re almost to their building when Derek finally blurts out what he’s been thinking since leaving the Haus.

“I'm sorry for pushing you,” he says suddenly, breaking the companionable quiet and Dex turns to look at him as he opens the door to the building, so they can get in out of the cold.

Will turns around once they’re inside and pauses but Derek keeps walking right into his space and wraps him in a tight hug. He feels a little better about it when Will puts his arms around Derek in return.

“I’m sorry I didn’t just drop it and pushed you to deal with this, that wasn’t cool to do in the locker room with everybody,” he continues and Will surprises him by squeezing tighter.

“I’m not mad at you, Nurse,” he says in response, keeping his chin hooked over Derek’s shoulder, “Am I happy that I wound up crying my eyes out in front of my team? Not particularly. Am I glad for the reassurances afterwards though? That I’m not going to get beat up again just for being who I am? Hell yeah, dude.”  

Derek nods and pulls back from the hug, slapping Will on the back lightly as they make their way up the stairs. Will hovers outside his room once he gets the door open and starts to fiddle with his keys. He pauses long enough Derek has time to remember Will’s earlier comment about being alone.

“Let me change into pajamas and grab my phone charger and I’ll come back,” he offers and Will’s shoulders fall in wordless relief as he nods and turns to go into his room.

Less than five minutes later he’s walking into Will’s room to see him puttering around, shirtless in flannel pajama pants, pacing next to his bed. Derek doesn’t hesitate to shut and lock the door behind him, shut off the light and walk over to the bed, grabbing Will as he goes. He wordlessly arranges them, it’s easier than explaining or waiting for Dex to ask for things. Derek lays down on the bed, back to the wall and pulls Will down in front of him, his back to Derek’s chest, close enough for their heads to be on the same pillow.

Despite the lack of arguments about their arrangement, Will is still tense. He looks uncomfortable and Derek sighs, bringing a hand up to rub at his arm gently.

“Dude, this is what you meant right? Would you relax?” he chirps, not unkindly.

Will lets out a short huff and Derek can only imagine he’s rolling his eyes.

“We did establish tonight that I’m bi, right? That happened?” he says, sounding a little sassy with the sarcasm if Derek is honest with himself.

“Uh, yeah, yeah that happened,” he responds and even in the low light he can see a flush of red starting to spread from Will’s ears to the back of his neck.

“Well, I’m not going to stroke your ego, that is the last thing you need,” Will says like that explains it all but he continues after a beat, “you’re like, stupidly attractive and you’re spooning with me.”

Oh. Well, now.

“Where did you want me to sleep? You think I’m attractive?” he asks in response, the answer to both questions suddenly very serious to him.  

“Uh, my roommate’s empty bed,” he says, flinging his hand towards what is definitely an empty bed on the other side of the room that Nursey hadn’t even considered sleeping on. “And yes. Thought that would be obvious by now.”

“How was it obvious that you think I’m attractive?” he asks incredulously, waving his own hand in emphasis.

“Oh, please. You and Ransom, and Holster come to think of it, are all completely aware of how good looking you all are,” Will shoots back, swatting back at Derek and hitting him on the hip.

“That doesn’t mean you’ve been obvious about your own opinions there Poindexter,” Derek informs him seriously.

Will huffs, still completely tense, “Well now you know.”

Derek hums for a moment before scootching closer, wrapping his arm around Will’s waist and tucking his chin on Will’s shoulder.

“Is this a one sided feeling confession session or can I join?”

Will scoffs but he doesn’t push Derek away.

“What feelings could you have to confess, Nurse?”

“Hmm,” Derek hums again and drops his voice, “Well, you want to know who I think is attractive on the team? Who I think is beautiful?”

“Maybe,” Dex shoots back, defiant and fiesty as ever even with Derek’s breath teasing the soft skin behind his ear.

“Ransom,” he says then deadpan and Will flips.

“You asshole,” he says squirming while Derek laughs and tightens his hold, keeping Will secure in his arms.

“He’s just so _pretty_ ,” he continues as Will thrashes in his arms angrily, managing to get himself turned around so he’s facing Derek. His face is flushed, whether from anger or embarrassment Derek isn’t sure. He is sure that he likes it though.

“But guess what,” he asks seriously and Will settles, tense again in the circle of Derek’s arms.

“There is no one who has eyes like yours,” he says gently, letting out some of the words he’s found himself scribbling down in his notebook these last few weeks. “No one whose freckles make me want to play connect the dots like yours do. No one who has a brain I envy quite so much with the way you analyze plays and computer code so fast and so well.”

Dex is full on blushing now but he’s also toying with the buttons on the front of Derek’s henley. He’s also not quite as tense as he was a few moments ago which Derek takes as a win.  

“No one who I think would fit in my arms quite the way you could,” he continues, shifting his arms slightly as if to prove his point. They might be the same height but they still are fitting together like puzzle pieces. Derek crooks a finger and uses it to catch Will’s chin and lift his face from staring at Derek’s chest to his face.

“Hey,” he says a little breathily when those bright amber eyes meet his.

“Shut up, Nurse,” Will says before he leans forward and kisses Derek so gently and sweetly he can’t help but shift his hand to cup the side of Will’s face.

It’s over too fast, but Derek isn’t going to push for more, at least, not tonight. Will pulls back, looks at whatever shocked, pleased, happy expression he’s wearing, and smirks before pressing another quick peck to his lips. Then he flips back over and pushes himself back into Derek’s arms, pressing himself along Derek’s chest and heaving a big sigh as his whole body seems to relax.

“Glad we settled that,” he says around a yawn and Derek buries his face in the back of Will’s still pink tinged neck.

“Yeah,” he repeats happily, “glad we settled that.”

*

 


End file.
